Vaccinations

[Newfs Forever]

I would love to know how many of you folks that feed raw also do not vaccinate?

I only vaccinate for rabies (because of law) and then dose them with thuja and lyssin.

Maybe I should have made this a poll. Hmmmm...

Sue

 

[Leslie]

I do the initial round of vaccinations on puppies, I think we started at 3 months or something like that. We only use single doses 2 weeks apart, only for parvo and distemper. Rabies at 6 months and 1 year, then titers. I also detox with Thuja afterwards. I never vacccinate my cats as they're indoor animals. Titers and full blood panels yearly thereafter.

We have to use heartworm out here (Illinois) but we only use regular heartguard (not the plus) and do it every 6 weeks from thaw to frost. We do a heartworm test every year too.

 

[MNnewf]

I only vaccinate for Rabies every year. Full round of puppy vacc's, like Leslies...not the combo, but single injections spaced apart. We titer yearly.

Oh...and bordetella every year, too. They have to have it to come to work with me. I should also add that I do not feed raw--yet. I have the worlds smallest freezer, and I'm working on gathering a few more odds and ends. They do get lots of fresh food, though.

ps- I'm SO excited about this forum!!

[ 02-23-2005, 07:32 AM: Message edited by: MNnewf ]

 

[BoundlessNewfs]

I'm excited about this forum, too! I hope to learn a lot more about holistic/natural methods. We feed raw (Volhard's natural diet).

 

[Sailorgirl]

Leslie ... what is the difference between the heartguard and heartguard plus? I don't think I've ever been offered an option to the plus....

I'm excited about this forum too.

 

[pawsx12]

No Vacs for my animals except for Rabies. I do the puppy initial ones. I NEVER DO LEPTO. I will do a titer this year on my pups as they are going to be 2. Dr. R Schultz from the U of W in Madison has been an authority on vacs for a long time. I have attended 2 of his seminars and always come away amazed. My Oji had a sensitivity to vacs and so did his littermates, almost loosing one to them. From the time he was 2 he and Rekcut were only titered each year. They all get heartworm preventative. I will not even titer Rekcut this year as she turns 11. She has NEVER had to be vacs. again since she was 2 other than her rabies due to sufficient levels of all types of vacs in her blood stream. I have NOT been the most popular person at my Vets because of my decision not to vac every year, but within the last 2 years they have been steadily moving in the direction of the multiple year vacs instead of yearly. I stood firm with my belief, and knew that vac. Oji might well take his life, or shorten it greatly. He was not with me LONG ENOUGH as it was, and succumbed to Lymphoma at 9.

 

[Largo]

Just noticed this forum!! Thank you Gad.

I give danny cat a rabbies vaccination once a year and thats it.

Two years ago she got her last vaccination for feline lukemia and got sick, I was very worried. She will not ever get another.

 

[Newfs Forever]

I have heard of too many animals that have had bad reactions to vacs. I just don't do them with the exception of rabies (NH law = every 3 years).

When my holistic vet does the muscle testing, she always tests for vaccinosis. And fortunately, Dex and Blazey have tested negative, except for the first time I started going to the holistic vet. That was when I was still vaccinating. I use the nosodes for lyme's and heartworm. And I titer every year also.

Sue

 

[Erin Marie]

I don't vaccinate my children...Sailor there are exemptions at least in CA for school. My question is how do you find a holistic vet? I'll start looking. Any one in CA have one?

 

[Sailorgirl]

OK ... I'll fess up to be stupid, or at least ignorant. Can someone explain just what a titer is and what it does (and how you pronouce it)?

I'm thinking it's a blood test the can tell you the levels of immunity to certain diseases but maybe I'm off

 

[Newfs Forever]

Erin Marie,

I think the website is altvetmed.com

If I knew how to give you the link, I would. But, it is a well known fact on this forum that I STINK on this machine.

But, you could try the above. I believe it gives you a list of holistic vets from all over.

HTH,

Sue

 

[Kitty]

Titer - "tie-tur"

When you take a titer, you are checking the antibodies your animal has for a specific infectious agent. Antibodies are molecules produced by your immune system to help your body eliminate infectious agents. If your pet has enough antibodies for a specific disease agent(if his titer is high enough), his immune system should be able to fight off the disease without being revaccinated.

For example, I am at high risk for getting rabies, so I have been vaccinated for rabies. Every few years I have to have my titer to rabies checked. If my titer ever dips too low, I will have to be revaccinated. Hopefully that won't happen, as rabies vaccinations for humans are $$$. My rabies shot was my X-mas present from my parents a few years ago.

Hope that helps.

 

[Leslie]

Heartguard Plus has a treatment for hookworm and roundworm as well. I'm just not comfortable using medicine to kill worms that my dogs don't have. If they get worms (and they don't because I give them DE, or maybe it's just dumb luck), I'll treat them. The only place we can get it is from our holistic vet. Same for the single dose shots.

Can I ask you guys who do yearly rabies why you do that? (not being challenging in any way here.) I had thought almost all municipalities had moved to the 3 year because it's identical except for labeling.

 

[ardeagold]

My question is how do you find a holistic vet?

Erin....

My former Vet (before we moved to the boonies) started the AHVMA (American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association) in 1982...however, he's a conventional Vet as well.

Here's the link...it has a tab at the top for referrals...which are divided into different types of alternative medicine disciplines. (And it has some pretty interesting book titles that you can buy from the Bookstore link).

AHVMA WEB PAGE

[ 02-24-2005, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: Ardeagold ]